Well-casing hook



E. TIMES WELL CASING HOOK Filed March 5, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet l far/1 Dec. 6, 9 1,519,519

E. TIMBS WELL GAS ING HOOK Filed March 5, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

J n var! far 0 WARD 77/753 7- for 55/5 Dec. 6; 1924-. i, 5T9,519

E. TIMBS WELL CASING HOOK Filed March 5, 1923 I5 sheet she'et :5

b 35 32b 36 n i "n y... Affarfls 5 Patented Dec. 16, 1324.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD TIMES, OF TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOB TO UNION TOOL COMPANY,

' OF 'IORRANCE, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

WELL-CASING HOOK.

Application filed. March 5, 1928. Serial No. 622,819.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, EDWARD Times, a citizen of the United States, residing at Torrance, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Well-Casing Hook, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to well casing hooks of the type used in oil derrick'equlpment and refers particularly to providing such hooks with safety bars for closing the mouth of the hook whereby the load on the hook cannot be accidentally disengaged therefrom.

A well casing hook, principally on account of the weight of the hook itself and the tremendous loads which are placed on the hook, is distinctly a difierent device from what is generally referred to by the simple term hook. Well casing hooks normally weigh around 500 lbs., and if spring poised,

weigh around 1000 lbs. To provide such hooks with a safety bar involves problems not hitherto solved.

An object of this invention is to provide a well casing hook with a safet bar which may be readily opened by a pu l on an o crating chain, readily maintained in t e open position,

the mouth of the hook, whereby the hook will positively maintain its load at all times.

Another object of this invention is to provide a well casing hook with a safety bar a which is pivotally hinged to the hook and is provided with a spring adapted to place tension on the safety bar to normally maintain the bar closed.

Another object of this invention is to pro vide an attachment, includin a safety bar,

49 which is adapted to fit the well casing hooks now in use.

Other objects of this invention will appear from' the following drawings illustrating three of the preferred embodiments.

,Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment illustrating the safety bar closing themouth of the hook and showing the embodiment of invention in a spring poised v casing hook.

all. Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the hook in the open position.

Fig. 3 is a vertical elevation with the and readily released to close upper portion of the hook broken away to contract the view.

Fig. 4 is a plan View sectioned on the line 4:4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4..

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 66 of Fig. 3. I

Fig. 7 is a section of the safety bar taken as indicated by the line 7-7 of Fig. 5.

Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive refer to a second embodiment of my invention, in which Fig. 8 is a vertical elevation of this embodiment with the casing hook broken away to contract the view.

Fig. 9 is a section on the irregular line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 1s a front elevation of this embodiment with the hook broken away.

Fig. 11 is a vertical section on the line 1111 of Fig. 9. I

Figs. 12, 13 and .14. refer to the third embodiment of my invention in which Fig. 12 1s a vertical elevation of this embodiment, looking towards the mouth of the hook with the safety bar in the open position; Fig. 13 is a side vertical elevation of this embodiment. Fig. 14 is a plan view sectioned on the line 14.14l of Fig. 13.

Referring to the drawings, the casing hook is illustrated as comprising a hook member 1 terminating at its lower end in a hook shaped portion 2 and having extending therefrom a cylindrical shank 3. A dome nut 4 is threaded upon theupper end of the shank 3, imparting tension to a coiled spring 5. Said coiled spring 5 telescopes at its opposite' end a cylindrical sleeve 6 mounted on a supporting block 7. The block 7 is apertured to provide a running fit for the shank 3 of the hook member, which is thus poised on the spring 5. The supporting block 7 comprises a rectangular block having gudgeons 8 horizontally extending therefrom. The gudgeons 8 fit in bearings 10 provided at each end of a bail 9.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 Y

to 7 inclusive of the drawings a collar 15 is secured to the shank below the supportin block 7. Said collar comprises a front half collar havin extendin ears 14 supporting a pin 13, an a rear ha lf collar having projecting arms 18 which terminate in crow feet 19. The front and rear half collars are hinged together at one end and clamped on to the hook member by a bolt 17 at the other end. I A safety bar 11 adapted to close the mouth of the hook 2 is provided at one end with bearings 12 by which it is hinged to the pin 13. A spring 16 is wound on the pin 13 and applies a tension tending to close the bar across the mouth. of the hook. Fixed to the bar 11 at opposite sides are two pins 20 to which is connected an operating chain 21 which passes around the back of the hook and is provided with spring sections 22.

In operation the safety bar 11 is normally n'iaintained across the mouth of the hook. A pull on the operating chain will open the hook and by engaging the crow feet with the chain the bar may be maintained in the open position. The springs 22 are provided in the chain so that the bar may be closely held against t-he back of the hook. In this position the hook will readily engage the load and by release of the chain from the crow feet the spring 16 will close the bar across the mouth of the hook securing the load. 1

Referring to Figs-8 toll inclusive of the drawings, I have illustrated an automaticlatch for maintaining the barin the open positionand have illustrated an attachment adapted to be secured to the neck 'of'the hook which construction is necessary if the shank 3 is not of suflicient'len th to provide room for the collar. This form of my invention maybe attached to the spring hook illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and generally such parts of the hook as are shown in those figures need not be described again. The attachment comprises a securing plate 23 shaped to engage the inner neck of the hook member 1 and provided at each side with an extending flange 24. The securing plate 23 is clamped to the hook memher by means of a. clevis 25 and nuts 26. Said securing plate is further provided-with extending ears 14 supporting two relatively spaced pins 13 and 28.

A safety bar 119 is provided at one end with two bearings 12 whereby it is hingedly journaled on the pinl3. At itsopposite end or tip said safety bar is grooved as indicated at 27. to better engage the hook 2. Fixed to each side of said bar. 11 are two links 20 for attaching an operating chain 21. A helical spring 16 wound on the pin 13 with its respective free ends on.- gaging the bar 11 andjthe plate 23 and functioning to yieldingly maintain the bar 13' across the mouth of thehook.

A latch member 29 is provided with a bearing 30 by which it is hingedly journaled on the pin 28. Said bearing 30 is positioned between the bearings 12 of the safety bar whereby the latch member is prevented from sliding along the pin 28. The latch member 29 is provided with a depending nose 31 which is adapted to engage a face 34 of the safety bar 11 when said bar is in the open position. Lever armsl32extend rearwardly and upwardly from each slde said latch member 29 and are provided with pins 36 the tension of the spring 16 The hook is moved to the open position by a pull on the operating chain 21 during which time the nose 31 of the latch member will be inserted by the force of springs'i-KS, between the bearings 12 of the safety bar and engage the face 34' locking the bar in the open position. A pull on the latch chain 33 will disengage the nose 31 from the face 3 1 to cause a release of the bar 11. andthe'spring l116 will close the bar across the mouth of the ook. 7

Referring to Figs. 12, 13" and 1 1 of the drawings, I have illustrated an automatic latch for maintaining the bar in the :open position and have illustrated such latch adapted to fit a collar' secured to the shank 3 of the hook. This form of my invention inaylikewise be attached to a hook such as tne spring hook' illustrated in Figs. 1 and 1 2 and generally such membersof the hook as are shown in these fig'uresneed not be described again. 1

Referring to Figs. 12, 13 and 14 a'collar 15 i'sisecured to the hook below the sup porting block 7. Said COllfilfCOlIjPIlSQS a. rearhalf collar and a front half collar which are hinged together at one end and clamped on to the hook member by a bolt 17 at the other end. The front half collar is provided at each side with extending ears 14", supporting two relatively spaced pi1is1 3 and 28 i A safety bar 11 is provided atone end with two bearings 12 whereby it is hingedly journaled on the pin 13". At its opposite end or tip said safety bar is grooved asindicated at 27' to better engage the hook 2. From each side of said bar 11* extendtwo ears 20", through which pins 37 are passed for attaching an. operating chain 21*. A helical spring 16 is wound on the pin 13 with its respective free ends engaging the member 11 and the front half of the collar 7 bearing 30 by which it is hingedly journaled on the pin 28. Said bearing 30 is of sufficient length to abut the ears 14 and prevent the member 29* from sliding along the pin 28". The latch member 29 is provided with a depending nose 31 which is adapted to engage a face 34 of the safety bar 11" when said bar is in the open position. Lever arms 32" extend rearwardly and upwardly from each side of said latch member 29 and are provided with pins 36 at their ends to which a latch chain 33 is attached. A helical spring 35 with its respective free ends engaging the latch member 29 and collar 15 is mounted on the pin 28* whereby tension is applied to the latch nfember to hold the nose 31* against the safety bar 11 The operation of the third embodiment is substantially the same as the operation of the second embodiment of the invention, the hook being moved to the open position by a pull on the operating chain 21 during which time the nose 31* of the latch member will be inserted, by the force on the springs 35 between the bearings 12 of the safety bar and engage the face 34", looking the bar in the open position. A pull. on the latch chain 33 will disengage the nose 31 from the face 34 causing a release of the bar 11" and the spring 16 will close the bar across the mouth of the hook. While I have described the safety bar mechanism as an attachment for a normal casing hook it can be readily seen that such mechanism might be incorporated as part of the hook in the first instance. My invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment shown but is of the scope set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. An attachment for a well casing hook comprising a member adapted to be secured to a well casing hook, a safety bar pivotally hinged to said member, a spring adapted to normally close said bar across the well casing hook, means for moving said bar to open said hook, means to maintain said bar in the open position, and means operable from behind the hook for releasing said means.

2. A well casing hook comprising a hook member, means for supporting said hook member, a securing plate adapted to be clamped to the inner neck of said hook member, a safety bar pivotally hinged to said securing plate, a latch member, means for normally maintaining said safety bar across the mouth of the hook, means for operating said bar to open the hook, means of the hook, tension means urging the bar to closed position, means for maintaining the bar in open position, and means operable from behind the hook for releasing said last means.

4. In a well hook having a vertical shank, means for hinging the upper end of a safety bar to the shank, tension means urging the bar to closed position, means for engaging the upper end of the safety bar to maintain the bar in open position, and means for releasing said last means.

5. A well hook safety bar comprising a clamping member adapted to be secured to a well book, a safety bar hingedat its upper end to said clamping member and adapted to close or open the mouth of the hook, tension means urging the bar to closed position, and a releasable member for maintaining the bar in open position.

6. A well hook safety bar comprising a clamping member adapted to be secured to the shank of a well hook, a spring actuated safety bar pivoted on the clamping member, and means carried by the clamping member for maintaining the bar in open position.

7. A well hook safety bar comprising a clamping member secured to the well hook for pivotally supportin a safety bar, a spring urging the bar to c osed position, a spring actuated member engageable with the bar to maintain the bar in open position, and means for releasing said spring actuated member.

8. In a well hook, a collar clamped to the shank of the book, a safety bar pivoted at its upper end at said collar, a spring urging the bar to closed position, a chain for moving the bar to open position, spring actuated means engaging the bar to maintain the bar in open position, and a chain for releasing said last means.

Signed at lorrance, California, this 17th day of Februaryj923.

EDWARD TIMES. 

